Dishwashing machine



7'4. .W, I ff y 1939. u. s. G. WELSH 2,167,540

' DISHWASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT Ulysses S. G. welsh WITNESSES ATT NEY July 25, 1939. u. s. G. WELSH DISHWASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

WITNESSES I CU $7; w W A m 5 e L Patented July 25, 193

1 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to dishwashing machines, and has for an object to provide an improved construction over the construction shown in my prior Patent No. 1,457,240 issued May 29; 1923.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dishwashing machine wherein means are provided which will project the washing water or other solution both laterally and substantially vertically. x

A further object of the invention is to provide a washing machine with a closed casing and with means for causing the water or other washing solution to strike the dishes or other articles being washed from beneath, on each side, and from the top and bottom.

- L An additional object, more specifically, is to provide a dishwashing machine having a structure in the form of a well near the bottom accommodating impelling blades for directing water upwardly against the sides of the casing together with means carried by the sides of the casing for causing some of the water or washing solution to move laterally while other parts of the water move in a spray upwardly.

Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through'Fig. 3 approximately on the line 6-45;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view through Fig. approximately on the line 5-5.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, l indicates a casing which may be metal, glass or other material and which is preferably cylindrical. A ring 2 is carried at the top of the casing l-and secured thereto by weld-, ing or other desired means, said ring being of metal or other desired material. Preferably ring 2 is made from metal and is provided with an annular offset 3 for receiving the depending part 4 of a cover 5 which may be made of metal, glass or other material. A hinge 6 of any desired structure connects the cover 5 with ring 2 while the catch or clamp 1 provides meansfol' disengageably locking the cover in its closed position. This cover is provided with an opening 8 having a closure 9. The material forming the opening 8 is provided with a number of small- Vents ill to permit air or gas to readily escape. 6

The'cover 5 is provided with annular raised outer portions H and I2 whereby curved walls l3 are provided, said walls being annular. This structureis formed by depressing the central part 14 whereby an annular groove substantially arcshaped in cross section is presented. This formation is desirable as hereinafter fully described whereby water passing upwardly along the inner surface of the casing I may move off as indicated by arrows l5 or may pass around and be deflected 15 as indicated by arrow Hi.- In this way water or other washing solution moving in this direction will. be projected on top of articles carried by the respective upper and lower containers l1 and I8.- It will be understood that the dishes or other 99 articles being washed are to be supported by these containers.

. At the lower part of the'casing I there is pro.- vided whatmay be termed a bottom member formed with a shoulder l9 on which the casing l rests. If desired the casing could be welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the bottom member 20 or the annular extension 2|. Any desired number of legs 22 are bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the depending part 23 of bottom 20. This provides a sturdy, strong and rigid structure for supporting the upper part of the machine. The bottom 20 is annular and presents an inverted cone-shaped well 24 in which operates the impeller 25, which impeller is provided with two or more impelling blades 26 and a tubular body 21 having a closed top 23 which rests on a suitable journal member 29 carried in the protecting casing 30 which may be formed integral with the tubular depending extension 3| of bottom 20. Preferably member 29 is supported by suitable ballbearings although it could be supported by other forms of bearings. 1

Member 29 is provided with a restricted exten sion 32 carrying a worm wheel 33 meshing continually with the worm 34 connected to shaft 35. Shaft 35 is connected through a clutch 36 to the moving parts of the power member 31. Power member 31 may be an electric motor or other power member, while the clutch 36 may be of any I impellers 26 will rotate at a desired speed which will cause the water to be projected upwardly and outwardly whereby most of the ,water will strike the cylinder or casing I at or slightly above the wire container IS. The water or other washing solution is directed upwardly and outwardly in a whirling motion so that the liquid will pass upwardly and also in a spiral around the casing I. Part of the water will be deflected from the casing by the three deflectors 38, part will be deflected and projected by the projecting members 39, and part will pass upwardly and move substantially as indicated by the various arrows I5 and I6. In this way the washing solution or water is directed against the sides and lower surface of all the dishes or other articles carried by the containers 1! and i8 and also directed against the top and sides of the dishes carried by the respective containers.

As indicated in Fig. 2, the deflectors 38 deflect in a more or less radial direction as indicated by the various arrows 40. The water is directed more or less radially inwardly and in a more or less horizontal direction, although sme of the water will move slightly upwardly and other portions of the water slightly downwardly whereby an almost horizontal zone of sprayed water will be presented which eventually will drop downwardly in curved lines and strike the various dishes in the container 18. The deflecting surface l3 performs more or less the same function for the dishes in the upper container l1. While this is taking place a-desired proportion of water or other washing solution is deflected or in a certain sense projected upwardly in anever widening spray. As indicated in Fig. 2, each spray covers a little over one-third of the surface as indicated by the arrows 4i and 42. In this way practically all of the undersurface of the container i1 and any articles thereon will be subjected to some of the sprayed water or projected water from the projectors 39.

As has been found by experience, three deflectors 38 are satisfactory and in fact most desirable, but also it has been found that the three projectors 39 produce the most satisfactory results, although if desired a larger number of these members might be used or, under some circumstances, a less number. If the washing machine is very small, probably a less number would be satisfactory, whereas if the machine were extra large, more of these members might be desirable. Whether more or less of these members are used, they all function in the same way to cause the water or washing solution to be projected rather forcefully over the entire surface of each article in each of the containers; Where cups and more or less hollow containers are to be washed, this is very desirable as it causes a thorough cleaning action interiorly as well as exteriorly of the article. g

The various deflectors 38 present arc-shaped surfaces as shown particularly in Fig. 2 and are comparatively short in length as indicated in Fig. 1 so that the length of these are usually about the same as the height of the upper container I1, although this is not essential. The same may be said of the projectors 39. In addition, the prosecured by screws or otherwise rigidly secured to the casing l and which merge integrally into a coiled formation 44 which flares from the bottom posited in the casing.

to the top. This flare is uniform from the bottom to the line 45 as shown in Fig. 6, and then the flare increases on the side or surface 46 and decreases on the side or surface 41. This causes a slight deflection or change of direction of the moving water so that it will be distributed more evenly toward the center of the casing I. It will be noted that the surface 48 is nearest the center of the casing. It will also be noted from Fig. 4 particularly that the coiled'extension 44 is cut away at 48 so as to permit an easier and greater change of direction of the moving water. These features are desirable because the projectors are at the sides of the casing and consequently it is desirable to project the water not only upwardly but more or less laterally towards the center of the casing in order to secure the distribution indicated by the arrows 4| and 42. I

When it is desired to wash a given batch of dishes or several batches of dishes, a desired quantity of water, soap or other detergent is de- This washing solution may extend upwardly to the bottom of the container I8 or slightly above the same. The cover 5 is swung off to one side and then the filled container l8 inserted so that the supporting legs 48 thereof rest on the shoulder IS. The upper container I1 is then filled and inserted so that the lower part thereof will rest on the deflectors or deflecting elements 38. It will be understood that preferably the containers I1 and 18 are formed as a metal wire structure with suflilcient cross members to receive and suppo t dishes or other articles of various sizes. The washing solution may be inserted before or after the fllled containers, said solution being preferably inserted through the inlet pipe 50 which may, if desired, be provided with a valve. The bottom 20 is provided preferably with an integral extension 5| which is hollow and to which is secured the drain pipe 52 whereby the liquid in the container may be drained off at any time. At any desired point along its length pipe 52 may be provided with a valve which is normally closed but which must be opened to drain the liquid from the casing I.

After the washing liquid has been inserted and the containers with their dishes also inserted, the cover 5 is closed and clamped. in closed position by the clamp or look 7. Current is then turned on to the electric motor 31 and the machine will immediately begin to function. The machine may be allowed to function any desired length of time according to the condition of the dishes or other articles being washed. Ordinary dishes may be properly washed in from one to three minutes although it will not injure any parts to allow the machine to function for a much longer time or even to function continuously. It is of course understood that the motor 31 must be 1 stopped before the cleaned or washed dishes may be removed out of the top of the casing. Ordinarily the containers with their cleaned dishes are removed and new containers with dirty dishes immediately inserted and the cover 5 closed. The motor is again turned on so as to repeat the washing operation. Unless the dishes are extremely dirty, one charge of washing liquid will clean several batches of dishes Ordinary water and soap are used although other solutions might be used if desired. Also if desired the dishes may be subjected .to aspray of fresh water after having been removed from the machine so that they will be rinsed.

I claim:

having a cone-shaped base with a tubular side structure rising from the periphery of the base. a closure for the top of said tubular side structure, an impeller structure arranged in said base and terminating near said tubular sis-e structure for forcing liquid in. film-like form in an upward direction against said tubular side structure,

10 said closure at the top coacting with said tubu- 15 a portion of said liquid radially laterally and downwardly, and projecting means carried by said tubular side structure positioned below said deflecting means for projecting a portion oi! the liquid from said tubular side structureupwardly in a substantially cone-shaped formation with the axis oi. the cone at an angle to the vertical when the .axis of the tubular side structure is vertical, and a pair of containers arranged within said casing for supporting articles to bewashed, one of said containers being positioned in the path of the liquid deflected by said closure and projected by said projecting means and the other in the path of liquid deflected bv said closure and deflecting means.

ULYSSES S. G. WELSH. 

